


Here to stay

by Nabrah87



Series: Now and Forever [3]
Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Children, F/M, Family Issues, mentioned Caroline/Klaus, mentioned Rebekah/Marcel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-03 06:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15813324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nabrah87/pseuds/Nabrah87
Summary: Faith (12) and Hope (15) Mikaelson have recently moved to Manosque, France, with their parents Elijah (46) and Hayley (32), after an accident that left their father/uncle amnesic. Since he had once promised Hayley to take her there, when they were old, the family had agreed that NOW was all that mattered.Hope's father, Klaus Mikaelson (42) had burned down his art-gallery/family mansion, after his girlfriend Cami's death and no one except Hope had seen or heard from him ever since. Rebekah (33), Marcel (37) and their son Henrik (10) Gerard had moved to New Orleans a few years prior. Their long lost sister Freya (50) and brother Kol (39) lived with their wifes near New Orleans as well.The reason, why the head of the Mikaelson family had moved far away from his siblings, is yet for him to be discovered...





	1. Of the past that's haunting me

Elijah Mikaelson knew very little about his previous life.

He didn't know the woman he woke up to every morning.

He did not remember having a niece and daughter.

The only thing that was clear in his mind were his childhood years with his siblings.

He had forgotten the love he used to feel.

He had forgotten what caused him to lose that feeling.

The only thing that got him through the day, was that strong connection he experienced whenever this family was near.

His body seemed to recall the way he had caressed his daughter's hair or how his niece used to look at him, when she wanted him to spend time with her.

He often found his feet or hands acting on their own, like they were drawn to these children.

He would find himself standing next to his wife or his eyes watching her for hours, without ever recalling that feeling beneath.

Elijah Mikaelson craved to remember these days he had lost.

***

"Do you like Manosque?", a waitress asked.

"Very much, so.", Elijah answered politely. "I do recall having lived here once."

His brow furrowed and he tried to remember, but as always there was some kind of wall which blocked his memory.

"You did.", his wife answered and he felt, how she extended her hand but withdrew it before their skin could touch.

It left him feeling guilty, because she clearly had loved this man he was no more.

"In another life.", she added. "You studied here."

"You told your sister about it, and when we had a rouch patch, she suggested we should leave and come to this place, where you were happiest."

Hayley inhaled deeply and touched his hand then, despite her fear of beeing rejected.

"I am sorry it took so long."

"How long?", Elijah asked and looked at her, his hand not moving.

"10 years give or take.", she answered him truthfully and saw him nodding.

"I missed out on a lot, didn't I?", he asked eventually.

Hayley shook her head, holding back the tears, that were close to the surface for a while now.

His sadness broke her heart, but what she feared most, was that he might wake up one day and leave his old life behind.

Trade a life he could not remember, for a fresh start.

She wouldn't blame him if he did.

When she looked at him, she saw the man she loved, when his eyes found hers however, it was clear that all she was to him was a stranger, who happened to know him better than the waitress who had brought his dinner.

***

They had moved to France right after he had been released from the hospital and he was glad, that he didn't need to know his surroundings. His companions, this family, were as new to these streets as he was.

It had been a rough year with the ever declining hope that his memory loss was only temporarily.

He had taken to walk the streets at night and sit in a bar or cafe until his thoughts had stopped running in circles. It didn't matter if he wandered the streets of Manosque or New Orleans. He had very little memory left of each of these cities.

Hayley didn't accompany him often, because she was trying to give him space.

Today he had asked her if she would like to come, because he had not felt like beeing alone, but couldn't quite fathom why.

Now they sat in a bar and music played, leaving him restlest and when he looked at the woman, who was actually his wife, he saw with how much longing she watched the dancing couples.

"Care to dance?"

Elijah stood, extending his hand, palm upturned.

Hayley looked up to him, distracted by his sudden movement, but followed his invitation.

She had longed for him to dance with her for a long, long time.

The way he held her close to him, like his body remembered what his mind didn't.

They swayed to the music and their cheeks did almost meet.

Hayley closed her eyes, letting her body be guided by his touch.

"You don't need to be afraid.", he whispered.

"I might not remember who I used to be."

His words were soft against her cheek, his hand warm against her lower back.

"... or our live together."

He tilted his head slightly, to look at her.

"But I DO feel this connection we share."

Their lips were almost within reach, her eyes couldn't let go.

"I won't leave."

Hayley's eyes snapped up to meet his brown orbs and she exhaled deeply.

"I know."

Her eyes flicked back to his lips and she bit her lower lip.

"You are a good man, Elijah."

His answer was almost inaudible, but she felt it vibrate in her whole self.

"No, you are good."

She gave in and kissed his cheek, before they continued their dance in silence.


	2. So far from who we used to be

Hayley had another sleepless night and tried hard to find peace, without her husband next to her.

At some point she stopped tossing and started wandering the halls.

Her steps led her to the living room, where Elijah was asleep on the couch.

She could not help herself for sneaking in, in order to be near him in these stolen moments.

The need to hear him breathing and feel his heart beat, was always there. Yet she did not dare to get this close, even when he was asleep.

Hayley crouched down next to him, just looking at him would have to be enough.

And while his face was peaceful, his body seemed tense.

He looked like the man, she had married and yet he wasn't.

She knew, that he did not remember her and it almost tore her heart out.

Elijah had been the one, to protect her from the very first moment they met.

He had made her fall in love with him and now he'd simply forgotten.

She was angry at him for making her feel so vulnerable and lost. Like he had abandonned her, gone to a place she could not follow.

She wanted to cry, because she did not know how to get him back. She wanted to hit him, for the pain he caused his family. But most of she wanted to feel him loving her.

Hayley didn't know how she could make someone like Elijah Mikaelson fall in love with her, had never fathomed why he stayed.

***

"You and Elijah, what was it that connected you in the years you didn't act up on your feelings for each other?"

"Respect. Friendship... Hope.", Hayley answered, the phone pressed to her ear, pacing through the front yard.

"Sister, you know, you can't have him back.", Rebekah advised her, brutally honest. "Find out what there is between you, that makes staying together worth it."

Rebekah was right, yet Hayley felt only pain inside.

"What about Hope and Faith?"

"What about you?", Rebekah retorted. "What about Elijah?"

Hayley kept quite. She did not dare to think about her future without him... That what they had, the love they shared, would not prevail.

"What do you want?"

"I want him.", Hayley answered out of breath.

"I want the father and uncle of my children back, I do... But most of all I want my husband back."

She heard Rebekah sigh at the other end of the phone.

"Then you gonna get to know this Elijah and find out if you two still love each other."

And the truth of that "if" pained her like nothing else.

***

Hayley met Elijah in the kitchen, making breakfast, which smelled wonderful and soothed her racing mind.

Faith was helping him cook, while Hope went back and forth to set the table.

"Mornin'"

He seemed to get along rather well with the girls and Hayley was relieved.

_They do not expect him to be something he is no more. You should try that, too.  
_

Hayley heared something a lot like Cami's voice echo in her ears.

"Good Morning.", he answered her with a smile, which she returned.

There were moments everything seemed almost normal. Like he would walk by and kiss her, just like this.

And then there was this hesistance, this small line between too little and too much, right or wrong, when he passed her by.

***

In the afternoon, she found Elijah on the porch, reading a newspaper, while Faith and Hope played a board game.

They were content with just beeing near him, not asking him to remember them.

"Kol called earlier."

Hayley leaned against the railing opposite him, listening.

"Apparently Niklaus is back in New Orleans, pestering Marcel.", he said with calm to his voice. "Don't you agree that I will be of more use there?"

Hayley held her breath, while Elijah inhaled.

"The only thing I manage here is cause you pain."

It was then, that her husband put the paper down and walked over to where she stood.

He extended his hand and placed it to her cheek, a gesture that once so natural made her flinch.

"I saw the way you looked at me earlier. I am not the man you want to see. Not really."

He let his hand fall to his side and pocketed the other.

"You even flinch when I am near, from a touch you so clearly crave."

Hayley shook her head violently.

"That is not true, Elijah."

"Please... forgive me."

She starred at him and wanted to speak, but the words were stuck on her tongue.

Elijah turned and walked inside.

...

He left for New Orleans the following morning.


	3. I would have loved you all my life

Hayley sat motionless in her car, her hands hurting from gripping the wheel too hard for some time now.

She had fallen asleep in this damned vehicle more than once in the weeks passed and more than once one of her daughters or both had found her like this.

She knew she needed to stop pretending and decide on the action she was going to take.

Either she would follow him to New Orleans or stay. Freya was here either way. She had arrived one day after Elijah was gone.

Proving once more that memory or not, he DID care for them and she had cried a lot after the realisation sank in.

It was in the early morning barely a month since he had left, when a nock sounded near her head, that rested against the window.

She had fallen asleep again and cursed herself, before she realised, that the shadow was not one of her daughters.

Hayley pulled down the window and starred at the one who, instead of bending inside, opened the door for her.

"You came back.", her words were barely more than a whisper.

Elijah placed his hand on the doorframe, still holding it open for her.

"I always come back."

Hayley embarked from the car, her fingers numb from her tight grip around the wheel, and faced him.

He shut the door and placed his hand to the roof, returning her gaze.

And suddenly she couldn't hold herself back any longer. She grapped the labels of his black coat and pulled him close, her arms encircling his neck.

To her suprise, he did not pull away, but drew her into a tight hug.

"Welcome home.", she whispered, nuzzeling into his shoulder.

And instead of an answer he placed a hand into her neck and held her close.

Hayley felt the fatigue in her very bones and knowing that she was save in his arms, she let herself give in.

***

When Hayley woke a little later, she extended her arm, the tip of her fingers finding warm skin.

She was not yet fully awake, but realized that her husband was lying next to her in bed.

He had retreated to the couch for so long, she had forgotten how it was to find him sleeping next to her when waking in the morning.

Elijah must have felt her fingertips against his shoulder, because he turned to face her.

Hayley had not withdrawn her hand yet, thus he took it into his, pressing it against his chest, in order to move closer.

"Good Morning.", he greeted her.

His wife smiled, not darring to believe that he was back.

"Morning.", she answered, with an almost coy smile.

***

Elijah had sat up, his back against a pillow and the headboard, playing with his fingers.

Hayley sat opposite him on top of the covers, her legs crossed, rubbing her hands.

"My brother has gone mad at last."

Elijah's voice was distant, confused.

"Do you know how long I have tried to keep him from slipping into the madness of his own mind?"

He looked at her, his brown eyes focused on her in a way that made her shiver.

"Rebekah was stubborn enough to overcome her demons, Freya too... Kol and his demons are on the same side now. But it doesn't matter."

The words rolled of his tongue, as if he could hardly bring himself to admit it.

"I broke my promise to him. Now and Forever. I failed Niklaus."

He was in tears now, but kept looking at her.

"Rebekah told me, that I have loved you and the girls more than my own brother."

Elijah almost chocked on this words, because it shattered his heart to not remember anything.

"She made me understand, that you were the happiness I had denied myself for so long."

Hayley looked at him, trying hard not to reach out.

"I remember loving him. I remember loving Rebekah... But if this is true and I loved you more than my own flesh and blood."

Elijah seemed lost.

"Why can't I remember a love so strong?"

"I don't know, Elijah."

The only way she could repay him for coming back and beeing honest with her was the truth.

"You tried everything in your power to save Niklaus from himself, but in the end, the only one he loved more than himself was Hope."

Hayley took a deep breath before continuing.

"He was suspicious of you and Rebekah and Marcel, all the time. You had no choice but to choose between him and Rebekah at some point. When Hope was born, it seemed like she could be the one to keep him sane, but the moment Cami died, he went rampant and we could not allow him to see his daughter anymore. This is what broke him, Elijah."

She watched her words settle in and him trying to find a way to understand.

"She should not have been the one to cary such a burden on her shoulder at such a young age.", he said at last.

"And how old were you, Elijah, when you promised to take care of you brother?"

His gaze focused on her, his eyes narrowing, understanding.

"You choose me, and Hope, and your own daughter. You never wanted to hurt your brother, but you had to keep us save."

Hayley finally extended her hand, slipping her fingers between his.

"And I am grateful for that, Elijah."

His eyes had followed her movement, marveling at the way their wedding rings fit each other.

"You had to let him go for the sake of our family."

Elijah nodded, playing with her wedding ring.

Hayley watched him and her first notion was to pull away, keep him from doing what he was about to, but she held still.

He did pull the ring from her finger then, subsequently slipping his own ring off, placing both of them in her hands, guiding her fingers to close around the rings.

"You keep them save.", he looked down to their joined hands. "If we are going to do this right, we have to get to know each other, before we are married."

Elijah looked up at her and licked his lip.

"I want you, Hayley. I want a life with you and these girls... But I cannot start where we left off. I need a new beginning and so do you."

Hayley swallowed hard, but nodded.

She titled her head to one side, slipping her hair behind her ear.

"This is why we came to Manosque in the first place."

Her smile was at the same time sad and happy.

"To start fresh and give you the chance to make up your own mind."

Elijah looked at her, unmoving.

"I choose you.", he explained. "In this lifetime and any other. But tell me..."

He licked his lip again, nervously this time.

"Do you want me too?"

It was his turn to tilt his head slightly, looking at her with a smile, that she returned nodding.

"Good.", he breathed, before he sat up, slid his hand into her hair and pulled her in for a deep kiss, they both had not dared to share for far too long.


	4. All the best of what we've done

Faith and Hope had gone to the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted in Mystic Falls prior to their moving to France and really missed their old school, thus Hayley had trouble getting them out of bed in the morning, not only because they were teenagers.

Elijah suprised his family, before their last day in school began with breakfast, since he was awake anyway.

He and Hayley had spend all night talking and were hence exhausted, but happier than they had been in a long time.

"That looks wonderful, uncle Elijah.", Hope marveled, when she took her seat.

"Thanks, Dad.", her half-sister chimmed in.

"You are welcome.", he answered them, but waited for their mother to take a seat, before he sat down as well.

"Your aunt Rebekah and uncle Marcel are going to be here, when you return.", Elijah said, while pouring much needed coffee into his cup.

"Henrik is already very excited to see you two."

Hayley smiled, when Elijah poured her a cup as well.

The summer was here and Hayley couldn't wait for their extended family to visit them here in Manosque.

She did not regrett leaving their old life behind for the sake of her husband's sanity, but she missed them.

Elijah talked to his sisters frequently, trying to get to know them better, for he remembered them only as children.

"Dad...", Faith began, looking suspicious. "Where is your wedding ring?"

Elijah looked stunned for a moment.

"It's right here.", Hayley chimmed in, showing the girls the two golden bands on her necklace.

Hope raised an eyebrow.

"What exactly does this mean?"

Elijah exchanged a look with Hayley.

"It means we are going to be a family again."

***

Hayley and Elijah sat in the kitchen, after getting the house ready for their guests.

"Maybe we should move back to New Orleans."

Elijah had just voiced his thoughts, when they heard a car pull into the driveway.

He moved fast, but Hayley caught his arm before he could reach the door.

"What do you mean by "move to New Orleans"? We just moved _here_."

He freed himself from her grip, yet did not walk away, but turned and cupped her face.

"Yes.", he said in a low voice. "You moved here because of me. Because I needed time."

Elijah looked at her very intently. "Now, it's time that you and the girls get their old lives back."

He let his hands drop to her shoulders and squeezed her ever so gently.

"We will make it through this. We will build our life together. In New Orleans. As a family."

"A family you still don't remember.", Hayley said breathless.

"Well then... I plan to get to know them.", he said, smiling.

Hayley extended her hand to his cheek and Elijah placed his above hers, kissing her palm, without breaking their eye contact.

The doorbell sounded and both turned towards the door in unison.

When Hayley opened the frontdoor, however, they saw Niklaus with Caroline by his side.

"Elijah.", Klaus greeted him from the other side of the treshold.

Who in turn said nothing, but narrowed his eyes at his brother, clearly not having expected them.

"I told you to call them, Klaus.", Caroline scolded her boyfriend and looked at Hayley, while extending her hand to Elijah.

"I don't think you remember me. I am Caroline."

Elijah took her hand. "Do come in.", he invited her.

"I run the school in Mystic Falls your daughters go to. WIth Alaric of course. His twins go there, too.", Caroline explained, while she followed Elijah into the living room, where they sat down on opposite chairs.

"You mean my niece and daughter, I presume."

"Yes.", Caroline laughed nervously. "Of course."

"They are wonderful, Hope is clearly as good in arts as your brother and Faith is very righteous and good with words."

"A trait she clearly inherited from her father.", Klaus chimmed in.

Hayley appeared behind him in the doorframe and walked past him, to take her seat on the armrest of the chair Elijah sat in.

"So what brought you hear? Clearly uninvited.", she asked looking at both their guests.

This close, she could feel Elijah's discomfort, utterly at a loss of what was going on, thus before Klaus or Caroline could respond to her question she turned to face her ex-husband and started filling him in, about the people in his living room.

"Klaus and Caroline met, 16 years ago in Mystic Falls. You and Rebekah were there as well, because your parents had been reported dead."

Elijah nodded, looking over to his brother.

"I remember that.", he said slowly, clearly trying to grasp at the thin air of memories his mind tried to hide from him.

"Rebekah and I were living in that cozy apartment, not caring about anything, because we could finally be together and free."

"We had been running from our life for so long, it was good to feel at peace. Freya and Kol contacted us then for the first time in years."

Elijah looked over to his brother, his eyes narrowing.

"I don't remember you two beeing there, however..."

The older male stood, adjusting his suit, before his hand came to rest on Hayley's shoulder.

"Since you are, indeed, family. You are welcome to stay."

He took a step towards his younger half-brother.

"If you dare to lay a hand on Hope or anyone else here, I will make sure to revoke my invitation permanently."

Caroline starred at him, clearly shocked, but Klaus stood and extended his hand.

"It's a deal, brother."

Both men shook hands, but Elijah kept his hold on Niklaus', when the other wanted to pull away.

"I might not remember the last years of my life, but I remember our past. So don't take me for a fool, brother."

Klaus smiled, but said nothing, when he withdrew his hand.

***

"Nik, what are you doing here?", Rebekah asked, not letting Henrik stray far from her side.

Elijah's younger sister had just walked into their house, hugging her brother laughing, but now all happiness seemed to be drained from her usually cheery self. They stood side by side, watching their half-brother and waiting for an explanation

Marcel lingered next to Hayley, watching the scene unfold between the siblings.

Faith was frozen in the doorframe, while Hope was in her father's arms.

"What a warm welcome, sister."

"Are you kidding me? You set our family mansion on fire and dare to show up here uninvited after YEARS of Elijah trying to reach you?"

Rebekah felt Elijah's hand on her shoulder, soothing her rage like nothing ever could.

"Elijah.", she asked her brother. "You were the one who always loved him the most. What do you feel now?"

She had Henrik stand in front of her, arms crossed in front of his chest, while she watched her brother's eyes narrow as he thought about her remark.

"It might be true, that I have forgotten most of what I knew. Even my wife."

He bowed his head slightly in Hayley's direction, yet did not turn to look.

"But I remember our suffering and the promise of Now and Forever."

Elijah looked up, directly into his brother's eyes.

"If there is any way of redemption for you, Niklaus, it is within the bounds of this connection to our family, especially your daughter."

He then looked at Hope, who had let go of her father and watched her uncle's face, while he spoke.

"We are family and we might have our differences, but within this connection we belong."

Elijah's gaze shifted from Hope back to Niklaus.

The room was silent, the oldest living Mikaelson brother, memories or not, still seemed to grasp every bit of what made his brother keep his sanity.

He felt his daughter's hand wrap around his fingers, within a few heartbeats.

"Our children deserve better. They are the best of us."


	5. The future is for you to come

Faith stood in the doorway of their former living room, remembering the countless times she couldn't sleep and sneaked downstairs to be soothed by her parents talking or dancing to something as often as silently cuddling on the couch.

She remembered her parents laugh and argue with her aunts and uncles, sharing family stories, good and bad.

But most of all she reminised about the last time she saw her father sit behind that piano, while her mother danced with her and Hope.

The room seemed terribly empty now.

"Come on, let's go."

Faith turned to face her older maternal sister and forced a smile.

Their aunt Freya had come to take them back to New Orleans, like their parents had promised, and she had just carried the last piece of their luggage down the stairs.

The center of their families live was in that place and Hope and her sister would be able to attend their old school again.

"Do you think our lives will ever be back to normal?", she asked in a quiet voice, as if not to interrupt the ghosts inhabiting these empty rooms.

Hope was next to her in the blink of an eye and hugged her wordlessly.

Faith held onto her arm and let her tears fall.

"What did Mom say to us?", Hope asked eventually.

"We are family. We stick together. Now and Forever.", Faith recited in a quiet whisper.

"That's right."

"Let's go girls. New Orleans awaits.", Freya interrupted them.

Both Mikaelson's turned to their aunt, flung there arms around each other's shoulders and left their old life behind, for a future entirely their own.

***

_The seven Mikaelson siblings had been scattered all over the world once. Freya had been forced to live with her aunt Daliah, even after she was old enough to leave the house. Finn was the one to stay home with their mother Esther and infant brother Henrik. Elijah had left for France in order to be rid of the violence of their father Mikael and find solace in music. Their half-brother Niklaus became violent, for all the beating their father did to him, and spend time in prison. Kol had become a deliquent and didn't stay long anywhere, not getting in contanct with either of his siblings. Rebekah had tried to live in New York, but eventually became lonely and joined her siblings, when news reached them about their parents death._

_Elijah and Rebekah had come back to Mystic Falls, two years after they had left, finding their parents, as well as their eldest and youngest brother dead by the hands of a fire, that destroyed their old life. Another building was already taking roots on their land. It might have been a relieve to the siblings, that the violence they had to endure from their father, was finally at an end, but Elijah had to watch Niklaus lose himself in that same rage over an over again. Thus he swore to stand by his half-brothers side, to make up for all the times he could not save him from his father._

_Klaus had met Caroline then, and Elijah had stayed with Rebekah in a cozy flat, enjoying the peace for a little while. Their half-brother however, had become rampant again and the family had to leave their hometown behind for good this time.  
_

_When Klaus and Marcel met for the first time in New Orleans, he choose to build a life there. Leadng Rebekah, who had fallen in love with Marcel, and Elijah to join him in the newly build family compound. Word reached them from Kol's and Freya's marriage to Davina and Keelin, but neither of the siblings showed up more than necessary._

_Back in Mystic Falls Klaus had met Hope's mother Hayley, and even though they had only spend on night together, she was connected to him from then on out. When the young woman discovered, that she was pregnant, a friend of hers, Camille, brought her to New Orleans and introduced her to Elijah. Coincidence or fate, that the man she fell in love with was the older brother of her baby dady._

That was the story her father had told Faith the time she asked him how their parents had met.

It had been a tender evening in the fall and she had been sick again, leading Elijah to stay by her side all day.

He had soothed her and the littelest Mikaelson had loved to have the sole attention of her father.

She understood then, that her father had waited to leave their parents house until Rebekah and Kol were of age to leave as well, not willing to leave them behind. He had been beaten by his father as relentlessly as Niklaus and yet he had stayed kind in a way, that made Faith's heart heavy.

Now that she was older, she really wished they could give something back to him and their mother, who had been abandonned not only by her biological but also by her foster parents.

"I love you.", she whispered into the night, which was filled with music and laughter from the streets.

***

Faith and Freya sat at the breakfast table, while Hope was still fast asleep.

"Aunt Freya.", Faith began. "Can I ask you something."

"Of course.", Freya answered, stopping her movements.

"Do you think our lives will ever be back to normal?"

She looked stunned for a moment, but smiled, when she got the meaning of her niece's question.

"I am sure it will turn out all right, sweetheart.", she soothed her and Faith closed her eyes.

"Mom once said, that Dad even so he loves to play the piano, he would abbandon his instrument for a dance with her."

Elijah's daughter opened her eyes.

"I hope Mom gets to dance with my father again."

"Sure she will.", Keelin said, entering the kitchen, after a late night shift, that had turned into an all-nighter.

"Your mom is fine. So is your father, memories and all. They will be released soon."

Keelin smiled at Faith, who smiled at Freya, who in turned stood and pecked her wife on the lips.

"They told me to remind you, that they will see you after school."

Keelin winked at Hope, who had appeared on top of the stairs.

And they went about their morning routine in a peaceful, almost happy manner.

Later however, when Freya and Keeling watched the girls leave for the day, one thought would not leave the doctor's mind:

"How do breaks fail so easily thou'?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this, while watching **The Originals** for the first time and fell in love with the way Haylijah loved each other, despite or because of the monsters they had been forced to become.  
>  This was my attempt to take the thousand years of suffering from Elijah's shoulders, make the red door inexistent and give Haylijah a normal life as humans, with a messed up but mortal family.  
> Despite my dramatic intentions, they both do NOT die at the end, but it was a close call.  
> I hope, for all of you who loved these characters through the years, that I did them justice.  
> And I am really looking forward to **Legacies** were Haylijah will hopefully be resurected.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> P.S.: For those of you, who were wondering: Faith is the name of my love. She was stillborn as Faith Fraser in **Outlander** and I never quite got over it. She clearly needed a loving family, like her sister Brianna. ;)


End file.
